97JGC_Ltd

I tried searching "dana 35 rebuild" and "dana 35 pinion" with no luck on finding a step-by-step guide to replace the pinion bearings. Is there one available?

I've never touched an axle before, and I am pretty weary about doing the job.... but since I don't have the extra money to have someone do it, I have to do it myself. Don't worry... I am well versed in car repair!

Any help is appreciated!

ol"blue

Hey William, Welcome to CF. Try this, it's more generic though. >->http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/Gear_Setup/
Here's something else. >->http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f12/g...-101-a-623694/

dave1123

Hey, Will! Listen to Ol' Blue and Busted Back. These two guys will never do you wrong. They pick up things nobody else will. I don't remember which one it was that diagnosed an overcharging battery to a battery temperature sensor, didn't know there was one!

Old Retired Fart.

Bustedback

Step one: Drive to a gear shop. Step two: leave keys with the gear shop. Step three: Pick up vehicle when it's done. I'm not saying it's a really hard job to replace the pinion bearings, but it does require some special tools and knowledge.

97JGC_Ltd

Dang... sounds like it's being put up for sale then!

I can afford the parts, but I can't afford the labor to have it done. I was hoping it was a relatively simple job.

97JGC_Ltd

Is the link that Ol' Blue sent me good to follow, or is the 35's setup different? I think I am going to tackle it anyways... my Dad is a machinist, and has a lot of the tools needed. The only thing I don't have is a high end torque wrench, which I should be able to borrow one.

jomps

just get a junkyard rear end

N20jeep

Ok, there is a slight possibility that the new bearings used with the factory shims will workout fine. But no promise, because tolerances are not all the same between bearing manufacturers.

I always suggest using a new shim set and also replacing carrier bearings while in there.

But here's kind of a simple step bt step.
-Remove driveshaft
-Remove cover
-Remove 1/4" bolt holding center pin
-Remove center pin and c clips
-Slide axles out
-Remove carriers caps( keep shims and cap seperate from eachother so you don't mix up sides.
-Remove carrier
-Unbolt the 1 1/8" pinion nut
-Lightly tap off the pinion flange
-screw nut back onto pinion for a few threads and lightly tap it with a hammer till it comes loose
-Unscrew nut and slide pinion out
-Press off inner pinion bearing from the pinion and save the shim under it.
-Take a long punch and knock out the pinion races from the housing.
-Use a brass hammer or race installer and install new races in the housing
-Place shim back onto pinion and press new bearing on top of it
-Slide pinion back into housing and softly knock outer pinion bearing onto pinion
-Slide yoke onto pinion and tighten till there is maybe 20inch/lbs of resistance (may want to double check that spec)
-Put carrier back in with stock shims and tighen carrier cap bolts back down.
-Check wear pattern... if not good then remove everything again and adjust adjust shims under the inner pinion bearing , and repeat the process till its right.
-Once wear pattern is correct then put a NEW crush washer between the inner and outer pinion bearings
-install new seal
Put pinion flange back on and tighten.
-This will take a lot of force., so a breakee bar and pinion flange holding tool is needed IMO, but tighten until there is about 20inch/lbs of force needed to rotate the pinion.
-install carrier and do a final check for wear pattern ...if good then check for backlash. 6-10 thousandths is the spec. Adjust carrier shims till you get it right. Make sure all the shims you removed go back in and that there is enough preload so there is no side to side play.
-slide axles back in
-c clips and center pin back in
-1/4" bolt with some loc-tite goes back
- install cover with new gasket or rtv and fill up.


Its a time consuming job that can take some time to setup correctly. I highly suggest finding someone with experience to be there with you.

dave1123

There was a VERY good post on Oct 17, 2008 titled "D44a gear install" you might want to view. The post is closed and there are no pictures, but it is step-by-step procedures for a total gear setup. It explains very clearly how to replace pinion bearings, gear lash and patterning, and how to replace the crush sleeve. The ring gear part is different than the D35, but the pinion part is spot on.

Check it out!

97JGC_Ltd

Different option... anyone near me that can rebuild this for me? I will drive up to 35 miles away to drop the axle off. I'll provide the parts as well. If there is, PM with a price to rebuild it.

97JGC_Ltd

Hmm... no one nearby? I guess I can take on this job, I just want to make sure I do it right. It shouldn't be too bad... I've rebuilt engines before.

xjheep92

why not just get a junk yard axle? you can swap out a rear end with basic tools and it would be probly be cheaper than paying someone to replace the pinion bearings/ set up back lash ect

97JGC_Ltd

I don't really want to risk buying a bad axle. Alot of the places I called said they are already removed and haven't been tested and are sold as-is. Plus nearly all of them are over $200 a piece. I don't have a lot of money... I'm currently unemployed.

dave1123

If you are VERY careful and do your research, you can do it yourself. The hardest part is torquing the pinion properly. You're going to need about 200 lb.ft. of torque to start crushing the sleeve. Cheater pipes on the wrenches, pipe wrench on the yoke, but going a tiny bit at a time and measuring the torque to turn the pinion until you get proper bearing preload. I'm not sure of the specs, but I think it is about 16 to 20 INCH POUNDS to turn JUST the pinion in it's bearings.

I am very critical of proper procedures because of a transmission shop that replaced a pinion seal and blew up my axle! They went for the replacement ring, pinion and bearings, and DID IT WRONG AGAIN!!! This time it only whined, but when I went back, they were out of business! However, the transmission is fine. It whined for a year and finally started growling before I parted it out.

I know where you are coming from about money. I am disabled and retired and only have social security and no savings, but I've worked on cars and raced cars since I was 16.

Best of luck!

xjheep92

have you checked craigs list? $200 really isnt that bad if you end up having to pay someone its gonna be more. just pop the diff cover and look at the gears for wear, check the fluid for silver, and make sure theres no play in the pinion. if you can find a friend with experience setting up gears awsome but i would be nervous to do it my self. good luck!